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It’s only March, but if you are anything like me, you’re counting down the days until it’s warm enough to head to the beach.

Because not only is beach weather warm and the water inviting, but that also means that you’re on summer break!

(That is, if you’re not taking summer classes).

But even though you could be hanging out on the beach, you should be finding ways to make money in the summer, right? After all, it’s hard to balance a job with school, so you need to make the most out of the time you do have.

But you can actually make money by hanging out at the beach.

Don’t believe me?

Well, did you know that there is a whole group of people who make a living by metal detecting?

Before you write this off, just think: spend the morning searching for money in the sand and spend the afternoon playing in it. How perfect does that sound?

This is such a profitable niche that there are whole companies built around metal detecting, and their favourite place to do it just so happens to be at the beach.

After all, what do you think happens to all of that loose change when somebody jumps in the water with their pockets full? Well, the waves pull the change out of their pockets, and it ends up being washed up to shore and buried in the sand.

If you’ve ever found a bill at the beach, you can imagine how much change you can find there, too.

The pros have expensive equipment, metal detectors, and coin counters, but if you’re just starting out, all you need is a metal detector and they don’t have to be expensive.

You can actually rent them at some beaches (but those are the ones that will be less lucrative. After all, people will have rented the detectors and found the coin).

You can also find expensive jewelry (though the best thing to do with this is try to find the owner for it. But hey, if nobody claims it, it’s yours!), among other things.

Other great places to find some spare cash include parks, playgrounds and sports fields. Check anywhere that might be hiding money under brush, sand, or soil.

You don’t have to work at the concession stand to make money at the beach this summer. Metal detecting is fun and very profitable.

But sometimes, you need to spend a little cash, whether that’s to eat out, go out, or buy school supplies.

Plus, it’s no fun to have to be holed up in your dorm room all day because of your budget.

Luckily, there are ways to save money while still being able to enjoy life and your years in college.

Here are some tips:

Cheap Eats

There is nothing quite like a gourmet ramen dinner for 20 cents. Ditch the dirty noodles and grab something sweet for less. A great way to find cheap eats is to check out online offers and coupon codes. You can save 50-90% off food at killer restaurants using websites like Groupon.

DIY Dorm Room

Pimp out your room for a better year with DIY projects on the cheap. Thing mini-fridge, microwave, coffee makers, cool desks, curtains, wall organizers, and much more! Stores like Home Depot offer a variety of online savings, DIY advice and help, as well as deep discounts on all the things listed above.

School Supplies

From white out to paper, printer ink and pens stores like Walgreens have got the market cornered. With online coupon codes, you can get up to 90% off all the things you need for class and still chip in on the keg for that beer pong tournament you’re gonna slay next weekend.

Fun Times

Paying bills for the first time, figuring out where your journalism 101 class is, making sure you ace that theatre history exam, and attending your best friend’s toga party are very important things. You’re going to get burnt out.

What better way to recharge and refuel with a mini-weekend getaway!? Grab some friends, chip in for gas, get a rental car and hit the open road. Groupon has coupons for sites like Fox Rent A Car and Hotels.com—boom! Instant savings and fun times!

Making Memories

Your college years really are some of the best times of your life. From freshmen orientation, to that party where the ceiling burst in your buddy’s frat house, to that time you used the stairs as a sleigh ride, or the big game where you burnt some couches and ended up on ESPN…frame your moments. Make cool photo collages or even photo memory books at Shutterfly! With prints often starting at 10 cents, you’ll be the coolest friend ever.

Either a significant other you’ve been with for awhile, or a one-time or first date who you plan on going out with this Valentine’s day?

If so, and you’re a student, you probably want to save money on your date.

After all, you have tuition and textbooks to pay for and a $60 dinner isn’t feasible anymore.

Luckily there are are ways to save money on your Valentines day date – try one of these alternatives instead of the expensive steak dinner:

A Picnic at Home

Eating at home isn’t’ particularly romantic, however what is, is having a picnic at home. Pack up a basket and lay out a blanket in your living room. Some candles also help, plus some music.

Make sure to cook up a decent meal instead of just throwing sandwhiches together, but the ambiance of eating on the ground with one another can be very romantic. Plus, it will save you some money.

Movie and Dessert

Instead of going for a full dinner, a movie is actually pretty cheap – as long as you don’t get snacks at the theater. You won’t be able to spend as much time with one another chatting with the movie playing in the background, so after your movie, head out for some dessert at your local ice cream shop or restaurant.

Dessert keeps the cost down and it’s also very Valentines’ day-esque.

Walk at the Park

Who says you need to go on your date in the evening on Valentine’s day? Just because most people do, doesn’t mean that has to be the case. Instead, try going to the park during the day for a walk. Not only is it fun and gets you outside, but you’ll also avoid the crazy V-day crowds that happen in the evening.

Plus, walks let you talk more than restaurants do.

College students don’t have to completely avoid celebrating Valentine’s day. They can enjoy for much less!

Of course you do, you’re a college student. Text books, food, tuition, housing, and the occasional drink at the pub aren’t free.

But you also have classes to attend, study groups to join, and homework to do, so you don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to a job.

So you want to make money passively.

Who doesn’t?

Luckily, you can still make money through passive income while you’re in college.

Here are a few ways to do so:

Earn Passive Income with P2P

Want to cut out the banks and earn passive income by doing good?

In comes P2P.

P2P lending is lending money to a peer (peer-to-peer lending) instead of a bank, or a credit union.

This is a huge, awesome opportunity to make money and many people make thousands of dollars a month in passive income through P2P lending.

Think about it – banks make a ton of money through lending, and so can you.

So sign up for a P2P platform (the most popular lending platform is Prosper.comwhich will connect you as a lender to borrowers, and as a borrower to lenders) and get the ball rolling. If you sign up with Prosper through my affiliate link, it will be very helpful to me

Invest Your Cash

You’re saving whatever cash you do have for tuition, right?

But it shouldn’t just be sitting in your bank account to never earn any money. Make it work for you!

Invest your money to make some truly passive income. Most people don’t invest because they have analysis paralysis – they just think they don’t know enough about it and it’s daunting.

But if you ever considered investing and haven’t started yet, now is the time to do it.

My favorite platform is eToro.You can find other traders on eToro, view their returns, and copy portfolios with their OpenBook feature.

Cash In On Other People’s Recycling

There are a lot of ways you can leverage other people’s recycling to earn passive income.

For instance, look around your dorm. Are there people who are throwing out bottles and cans? You could always cash in on those opportunities and save the planet.

What about old electronics? Do you – or your roommates – have any old electronics kicking around?

Sell them on OnRecycle and make that previously unused asset work for you.

These are easily the two best and most profitable, time-stamped ways of earning passive income. Don’t pass up the opportunity for free, easy money!